An Amazon Top 10 Bestseller“Ask Me Why is a gorgeously-written, angsty book that packs a great punch to your gut. If you like a jerk with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Oh, and I dare you not to fall in love with little Ollie!” — LJ Shen, USA Today bestselling authorOne deep breath. Two slow blinks. Three hollow beats.I’m still here. After three years, that reminder isn’t as …
After three years, that reminder isn’t as necessary. But everyone has their bad days. This is definitely one of them. Until an adorable little boy dashes into my store. His zest for life makes me smile in a way that’s been long lost. Then I meet his father.
Well, confront is more like it.
Brance Stone is volatile.
Offensive.
Harsh.
And can’t be bothered to care.
Not that I want him to. I get frostbite just looking into Brance’s glacial stare. But there’s something undeniable about him.
My misery suddenly craves company. The suffocating numbness lifts whenever Brance is near. That alone should have me running in the opposite direction. Try as I might, there’s no avoiding him. If only I could understand why. As if he’d let me.
I don’t ask. He doesn’t tell. A silent, bitter truce settles between us.
That was our first mistake.
It’s certainly not the last.
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Oh , Hells Bells Y’all! Harloe Rae just served me up a foot long ,emotional beat sandwich! Guess what?!?! That sucker was delicious! Brance and Braelyn’s story was not a sweet and fluffy, sunshine and rainbows story. Although there was sunshine , and yes rainbows too, this story is deep. It’s a story of deep rooted hurt, and devastation. A story of struggle and barely getting through each day. A story of nightmares and loneliness. These characters are both gorgeous, yet they are both flawed, and broken. Their hurting comes from completely different places and the way they treat other people reflects that. I don’t want to give any spoilers because #SpoilersSuck I will just say their initial meeting isn’t the greatest of first impressions. For them that is, for us it was fantabulous. They meet due to Oliver “Ollie” Brance’s adorable son, coming into Braelyn’s store Thicket for candy. I love the sweet friendship that Brae and Ollie form. That sneaky Ollie quickly has a plan in place for more with Brae. All of the characters are spectacularly unforgettable in this book. This book has so many things happening. It will keep you engaged the entire time. From the first page to the last. The entire time I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride of feels. I.Floved.Every.Second. I would ride this “Feel-A-Coaster” over and over again! Seriously Y’all!! I felt so deeply for all these characters, I was literally going from bawling to laughing to bawling again. ( My hubby was like… WTF is wrong with you? Did I do something? Lol ) So clearly, I think this is a MUST read book! It needs So.Many.Stars! This is a second chance, single-dad, enemies-to-lovers (so basically the perfect threesome)blend of pure magnificent!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book, but obviously I loved it SO much I had to buy my own copy.
This is a heartbreaking, heartwarming beautifully written book. I fell in love with the whole package, and Ollie was such a sweetheart! One of the best books i’ve read this year. Oh, and an HEA which is a must for this reader.
https://www.amazon.com/review/R6GQ77SSZ4A9H/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
My first read of this author and it definitely is not going to be my last. Wow, my emotions were into this book from the beginning to the end. Braelyn, who lost her love in an accident struggles to move forward even after three years. Having her store and her best friend Sadie is what keeps her going. One day, her spirit is lifted by this little boy Ollie who bounces in her store full of energy and happiness. But then there is Ollie’s daddy Brance who is rude, angry, and a jerk. They both have hurt and neither seem to want to let it out, but the heat is surely undeniable between them. A book that keeps you turning those pages wanting to know what happens with them all. Totally enjoyed this book. Thank you Harloe.
I’m always a fan of Harloe Rae and I thought I knew what I was getting into with this story.
I was so wrong.
This story hits right in the feels from the very start and doesn’t let go. You get the whole range too, super up highs and super down lows and the struggle and calm center that the whole range inbetween can be.
Brance and Braelyn are a mess, both separately and together. Ollie is a force though, determined to bring this odd pairing together so that he can have the family he so desperately wants. The adults involved have pasts that are keeping them from moving forward though, and their hate-love is something to witness for sure!
If you like enemies to lovers, hate to love, small town or any combination of the above, you’ll love this story and all of Harloe’s other works.
Recommend!
Brance and Braelyn are two people with issues but they both agree Brance ‘s son Oliver is the cutest. Brance is harsh, but can Braelyn’s strong and sassy side soften him. Love is scary but sometimes you just have to let go. Oliver is the best. Great characters and storyline. Thank you Harloe Rae for giving us another group of people to love.
Fans of enemies-to-lovers romances with COCKY ALPHAHOLES are not going to wanna miss Ask Me Why by Harloe Rae. The way these two communicate in the first 50% of the book is intense. I never knew that two strangers could have that much hate in their hearts for people they don’t know. YIKES! I’ll admit, at first it was a total turnoff for me especially the way Brance treated Braelyn when they first met. However, I did slowly grow to understand both of their emotions and what made them how they are in the present. It took a little bit, but I am okay with that!
With that being said, for my first read by Harloe, I am impressed with her ability to bring these two characters together despite their hate for one another. I grew to understand what drove them (aka why they were so cruel in the beginning, well Brance the most) and why it was difficult for them to get along. This makes a world of a difference to me as a reader- the ability to understand character motivations. Normally if I don’t like a character in the beginning I won’t finish reading but Brance was able to redeemed himself and everything I felt vanished.
I am also impressed with the emotional scenes that brought tears to my eyes. Braelyn has had some hardships in her past and my heart bled for her. As a reader, one who reads hundreds of romances a year, I feel like my emotions are becoming hardened and half the time the emotional scenes don’t affect me. That wasn’t the case in this book. I truly felt for both Braelyn and even Brance who had his own issues to overcome.
In any event, this is a really good story and I am so glad I took a chance on a new to me author. I am so excited to see what Harloe writes next (maybe Sadie’s story!?!).
Fans of the following are not going to want to miss Harloe’s newest release:
• Enemies-to-Lovers trope
• Single Dads
• Love after loss and tragedy
• Cocky Alphaholes
• Emotionally Charged Romances
• Previous books by the author (I can’t wait to read more!)
Harloe Rae
Reviewed on behalf of http://www.bookboyfriendaddict.com The Book Boyfriend Addict. A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
‘Braelyn has given me the ass-kicking I needed to be a better man. And I’m far overdue on proving myself.’
Braelyn has experienced love and loss first hand after losing her boyfriend in a tragic car accident, most days she is just existing and on bad days it takes everything in her just to get by. After nearly three years she is still just getting by until one day a little boy with so much joy in him shows up at her store Thicket. Ollie provides Braelyn with the first real smile and happiness she’s felt in a long time that is until she meets his extremely rude father. Brance Stone is an extremely handsome and successful divorce lawyer who only has space in his heart for his son Ollie. Having good reasons to hate women he is less than kind to Braelyn when he meets her and she has no idea how he could possibly be Ollie’s father.
Wow Brance really is a jerk right off the bat and I was ready to write him off as a good book boyfriend right away. But that is the thing Harloe Rae is so great at, she can take a man that is rude and uncaring and turn him into a man that is actually really loving deep down (if you haven’t read Gent or Refining us those are two great examples of her talent). By the end my heart had thawed for Brance and made me swoon for him! Braelyn is so sweet and kind and even though she has lived through such a horrible tragedy at such a young age she didn’t let that ruin the love she was capable of sharing and feeling. Now we can’t forget little Ollie and his match making ways because seriously that kid was just to cute for words and I loved every scene with him in it! They secondary characters were also so great in this one I kinda hope that Sadie and Jordan get a novella or maybe a newsletter story…hint hint Harloe!!
“We fit, all swaddled together in a love huddle that can’t be broken.”
This was my first Harloe Rae’s book, and won’t be my last. This sweet and sexy romance is beautifully written. I love this single dad, enemies to lovers and slow burn story. The story is heartbreaking and heartwarming afterward. I love the characters, the storyline, the ending. Braelyn and Brance are such great characters. They share an undeniable and sizzling chemistry. Braelyn’s story is heartbreaking. Brance is handsome. The little Ollie is so cute! I love the Epilogue, and the Bonus Epilogue! I enjoyed reading this emotional story, and I’m looking forward for more stories written by Harloe Rae. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Quote:
This man hides everything behind a fierce mask of indifference. He’s a shell wrapped in an extremely handsome packaging. My pain is stark and on display for all to see. Sorrow leaks out of me on a constant basis. I prefer keeping to myself and avoiding confrontation. His presence takes up the entire store, and not in a good way.
Harloe Rae is a fantastic author who writes romances that just sweep you away and Ask Me Why is indisputably her best book yet. This emotionally charged romance surrounds a single father and a heroine who’s experienced unspeakable tragedy. It’s an enemies-to-lovers, dual POV romance that will undoubtedly hold you riveted from cover to cover. I’ve read the story twice—once as a beta reader and once the final version of the book—and I fell head-over-heels for the beautifully broken asshole hero, Brance and his equally broken heroine, Braelyn. (And Ollie, that little boy just stole the show!) The story had me on the edge of my seat and more than once I found myself moved to tears within the cover of the book. For someone who rarely cries while reading, that speaks volumes. I have read all but the very first book written by Harloe and I can not tell you how much I loved her storytelling. Ask Me Why is everything a romance should be—its sweet, sexy, and heart wrenching with a superb storyline. Harloe’s storytelling has grown with each book she’s written, and I highly recommend her to any romance reader. If you’ve never read a book by the author, you can rest assured that Ask Me Why is absolutely a standalone romance that you can just devour in one sitting. This exquisite romance is nothing short of a five-star read!!!
Be ready to be blown away by this emotional enemies to lovers romance by Harloe Rae. She delivers yet another amazing story featuring two people that have been thrown through the ringer and carry enough emotional baggage between the two of them for a small country.
Braelyn is such an amazing character. After being in a horrific car crash that took her fiancé’s life, Braelyn is just trying to live day by day. But when worlds collide and she meets the swoon-worthy asshole lawyer, otherwise called Brance, she doesn’t know whether to punch him or jump him.
Brance is such a freaking asshole.. and I LOVE it! No woman can deny his appeal but when Braelyn sees him with his adorable son, Ollie, Brance is undeniable, unforgettable, and unforgiving.
This book really takes you on an emotional journey with this couple. You will see and feel anger, fear, sadness, happiness, pure joy, and passion. The chemistry between Braelyn and Brance is undeniable. This is a must read story!! 5 stars all the way around!
This is my new favorite book by this author, seriously I loved everything about it; the characters were damaged but real; the storyline moved along at a great pace so that at no time did I even think about putting it down!
Ask Me Why is a brand new single father, standalone romance by Harloe Rae and it is a definite must read! The emotions are flying high from start to finish. The intensity is so strong that you will be glued to the book. Then there is Ollie…he is a kid that you can’t help but fall in love with immediately and he added so much more to the story!
I will be thinking about Braelyn and Brance for a while and firmly believe that this book is going to be really hard for this author to top!!
Braelyn was a beautiful soul; Brance at first was unlike able but once you get to know more about he’s actually pretty decent. Brance is an excellent dad but other than that he’s not the nicest, lol. They both experienced traumas but in different ways. Brance was bitter and Braelyn was just trying to survive but she had the most beautiful soul. Lil Ollie always brought a smile to her face. It definitely wasn’t an insta love story and she brought lots of love and brightness into their lives. Ollie was Team Braelyn!!! The struggles, the emotions, the ups and downs added to the beauty of this story. Great ending!!
I love a single dad romance so I knew I had to give this one a read. The blurb pretty sold me on this one. I loved Braelyn and Brance’s little one Oliver. I loved the bond that forms between them. Warms my heart especially learning Braelyn’s past. Oliver is just a delight and my favorite scenes of the book include him. Now Brance, he’s a character you have to warm up to. Not a huge fan of his in the beginning. I wanted to shake some sense into several times through this book. Though I will say I understand why he is they way he is. He’s had a tough time in the past with women. It’s all the more beautiful how Braelyn brings sunshine to his life.
Take two broken people, one adorable five-year-old, and hold on for a wild ride. Braelyn suffered from a traumatic car accident and has flashbacks and nightmares from the experience. She has her store, Thicket, and her best friend Sadie, but not much else in her life.
Brance has had some very bad experiences with women in his past and has built up a persona that is really nasty and doesn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities until we see him interact with his son. He is like a different person; his world seems to revolve around his son and making the best life possible for Ollie.
When Ollie is out walking with his nanny and sees the big lollipop sign outside Thicket, he races away from her, barrels into Braelyn’s store and brightens her day. She is actually laughing, his joy in life is so contagious. The store is a mix of so many things, but what catches Ollie’s attention is the candy and Braelyn sends him home with some taffy. This is really where the story begins, because when Ollie drags his father in to the store Braelyn and Brance immediately lock horns and begin the enemies to lovers story.
I really liked this couple, for different reasons. Braelyn is strong, a survivor although she feels weak. But watching her spar with Brance showed her true spirit. Brance starts out as a cold, heartless man but soon we see him enjoying his verbal sparring with Braelyn. And of course, there is always the adorable Ollie, watching and plotting for the outcome that he wants, a mother.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
Please let me choose more than 5 stars!!!
This is a masterpiece by Harloe Rae that will leave you begging for more with a book hangover.
When you read a book that touches every crevice of your heart, you need a moment to get your words together. This book encompasses so many feelings as I’m reading. My heart broke for Braylen. The authors description and circumstances that she deceived will rope you in. You fall in love with the characters and feel like you are part of their family. The author has created a masterpiece that will stay with you for a lifetime. The chemistry between these two is off the charts and so emotional. You will laugh, cry and beg for more!!
Braylen has been through more than you can imagine. She’s just trying to make it and is not going f a great job on the outside. She follows a dream and realizes how lonely she has become. Brance has been through so much too. He loves his son but is struggling being a dad. Together, they create what they both deserve. It is a tale that you will love and cherish!!
Rae, once again delivers all the feels with Ask Me Why. It is such a complex and emotional read, one that just wouldn’t allow me to set it aside.
I was so captivated with Brance and Braelyn. Their characters compliment each other so enticingly well. Brance is such a crass a-hole, the best kind of man, and that’s what I love about him. Braelyn is a breath of fresh air. She has been traumatized and stuck in a downward spiral, but still finds her spunk. She is a fiesty little firecracker, I just adore her.
This story guys, it’s just downright amazing, captivating and panty melting. I was so addicted to it. So invested in it. I cant wait to revisit Brance and Braelyn!
Such a great read!!!
Ask Me Why is a swoony enemies to lovers, single dad romance. I love Brealyn and her big heart. The friendship she forms with Ollie is the sweetest. He is so adorable! You love to hate Brance with his jaded heart and coldness toward Brealyn. Both of them have tons of emotional baggage to overcome but once they give in, fireworks go off. They are hot!! This is a great read with lots of emotion, steam, and the cutest stinking kid ever! You won’t be disappointed!
Ask Me Why by Harloe Rae was a kaleidoscope of emotions, from the icy wrath and irritation of Brance’s first initial reaction to Braelyn to the sweet, rainbow filled ending. Brance is a lawyer and a single dad. Braelyn’s the owner of a quirky store that Brance’s five-year-old son Ollie discovers when out shopping with his nanny.
Braelyn and Ollie have an instant connection. It’s hard not to fall instantly in love with this rambunctious, happy child. How he’s some witty and full of life with a dad like Brance is beyond me?? That little boy? Love him to pieces.
Braelyn has suffered heartache and doesn’t see her life ever getting any better. But somehow, Brance gets under her skin and they slowly start to fall. Brance is a tough character to like at first. He doesn’t take fools kindly, he’s a bit jaundiced with life in general, but he’s a fantastic dad. It’s his one true redeeming quality, because he is a real mean guy, not just to Braelyn but in his work life too. He just doesn’t let anyone close, at least until he starts to see the real Braelyn. She slowly allows him to see her pain, her sorrow.
The story deals well with a few issues, it’s hard and gritty in places, soft and sweet in others.
I adore Braelyn’s character, she was damaged, flawed, but she fought to get back to the girl she once was. Brance was harder, much harder to love, but he did have some fine moments. And darling little Ollie? That boy is a heart-breaker in the making. Hope we get to see his story somewhere down the line.
The secondary characters helped carry the story and it was fun watching a second-hand romance blossom between Brance and Braelyn’s best friends. Will they get to have their own story too?